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Morning Glory |
| KSSK’s Michael W. Perry and Larry Price have dominated Hawaii’s morning drive-time radio slot for over two decades. Our story reveals some surprising things about the popular duo. |
Life Preservers |
| For years, talk sessions have been the primary focus of most support groups. We spotlight three |
DEPARTMENT:
Kokua Corner
Don’t Let Bad Things Happen to Your Good Name
Stories regularly appear in the papers and on broadcast news about identity theft — when someone assumes your identity for the sole purpose of financial gain.
“Identity theft is one of the few crimes where you are the victim, yet the burden falls on you to prove you’re innocent — sometimes over and over again,” says Bonnie Horibata, interim chief executive officer of Hawaii’s Better Business Bureau (BBB). “What is scary is that you may not know that you are a victim until a collection agency is contacting you about past-due accounts that you never knew you had or you may have significant charges show up on your credit card bill for purchases you never made.”
In January, the BBB released tips on how you can protect your identity, detect fraudulent activity and resolve fraud. You can do a lot on your own to protect your personal information and financial assets, including:
• Do not release Social Security or account numbers in response to e-mail, phone or in-person requests. When responding to e-mail, ignore any Internet links provided and type the full address instead.
• Keep all sensitive documents, checkbooks and credit cards securely locked away at home and at work.
• Shred all personal and financial documents before discarding them.
• Sign up for automatic payroll deposits.
• Keep passwords hidden (even in your home) and change them frequently.
• Do not respond to suspicious e-mails. Delete them, and if there is any doubt, contact the company to determine if the e-mail is real.
• Retrieve paper mail promptly and place outgoing checks and other sensitive documents in a U.S. Postal Service mailbox; do not leave them in your mailbox for pick-up by your carrier.
If you find suspicious activity with your personal or financial accounts or if you fail to receive statements in a timely manner, ask your financial advisor, financial institutions and credit card companies to investigate. You also can call the BBB’s Senior Scam Hotline, which is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. On Oahu, the number is 536-8609; on the neighbor islands, it’s toll free (888) 333-1593.
Review your credit information regularly. Free annual reports are available on the Web site www.annualcreditreport.com or call toll free (877) 322-8228. Inform federal and local law enforcement agencies if you suspect or detect identity fraud. Keep your own notes, including the names and phone numbers of the people you spoke to and the dates and times that the conversations took place. Diligently track the progress of your case.
Resolving
fraud promptly minimizes losses and protects your credit record and
assets. If you become a victim of any type of personal or financial
theft, notify your financial providers, begin monitoring your accounts
more frequently and place an “alert” at all three credit
bureaus — Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.
Identity theft is one of today’s fastest-growing crimes, but you don’t have to be one of its victims. Be careful and proactive to prevent it from happening to you. n
Percy Ihara is a Certified Senior Advisor. If you have questions you would like him to address, contact him at 368-6747 or toll free (866) 369-6747 from the neighbor islands.